William h



(No Model.)

W. H. GRAY.

GEARING FOR WOOD PLANER FEEDS.

No. 360,150. Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

.1 if I flilnessm N. PETERS. Pham-ulho ra her. Washington, D C.

NITED STATES WILLIAM H. GRAY, OF BROOKLYN, COVE MACHINE COMPANY,

PATENT Fries.

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GLEN (LIMITEDQ OF sAMnrLAcE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,150, dated March 29, 1887.

Application filed December 8, 1886. Serial No. 220,955.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. GRAY, of Brooklyn, (Green Point,)in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gearing for Wood- Planer Feeds, of which the following is a specification.

In wood-planing machines the one or more sets of feed-rolls are commonly driven by geario ing from a shaft extending transversely of the machine, and which is usually known as the pinion-shaft. In planing lumber of different degrees of hardness, and also in planing knotty and crooked lumber and straight and I 5 clear lumber, it is necessary to drive the feedrolls at different velocities; and to this end the means through which motion is transmitted to the pinion-shaft are commonly of such nature as to provide for imparting to said shaft a Variable speed from a driving or counter shaft which rotates at a uniform speed. The pinion shaft is commonly driven from the counter-shaft or driving-shaft, which extends transversely of the machine at the front thereof, 5 and from which shaft also the side cutter-spindles and the upper and lower cutterlieads are driven.

In carrying out my invention I employ reversely-arranged friction-disks having a common axis, and which are usually mounted upon or concentric with the counter or driving shaft at the front of the machine, and I also employ a transmitting-shaft extending lengthwise of the machine and transversely to the pinion-shaft and geared with the pinionshaft, and a friction-pinion, sliding upon the transmitting-shaft toward and from the center of said disks and receiving motion by frictional engagement with them.

In a system of mechanism where a frictionpinion receives motion from a friction-disk and is adapted to slide toward and from the center of the disk, and in which the shaft is pressed against the surface of the disk, there is rapid wear of the parts and side strain. By means of the reversely-arranged disks, one of which is secured to the counter or driving shaft, while the other is free to slide axially and is loaded by a weight or otherwise to press it toward the first disk, the disks are held in strong frictional engagement with the pinion (No model.)

and without any side strain of the transmitting-shaft or other parts. In order to cause the free or sliding disk to rotate synchronously with thepositively-driven disk upon the counter or driving shaft, and in a reverse direction thereto, 1 connect the two disks by bevel-gearing. It is sometimes desirable after a stick or piece of lumber is partially planed to withdraw it from the machine, and to afford facility for moving the feed-rolls backward as well as forward I connect the transmitting-shaft with the pinion-shaft by means of reversely-arranged pinions on the transmitting-shaft,which gear with a bevel-wheel on the end of the pinion-shaft, and which may, either of them, be locked to the transmitting-shaft so as toimpart power therefrom by means of a clutch sliding upon the transmitting-shaft.

The invention consists in novel combina- 7O tions of parts, which are above referred to and hereinafter particularly described,and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of such portions of a planing-machine as are necessary to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation and partial section upon the plane of the dotted line a: 00, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a partial transverse section and end view upon about the plane of the dotted 83 line y 1 Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures.

A designates the side frames of the machine, and B a pinion-shaft, which extends trans- 85 versely of the machine, and from which the one or morepairs of feedrolls are to be driven.

A system of spur-gearing is commonly employed to connect the pinion-shaft B with the i'eedrolls; but as such gearing is well-known 0 to mechanics familiar with wood-planing machines I have only shown a single wheel or pinion, 1), upon the shaft B.

At the front end of the niachineis the usual counter or driving shaft, O, which is pro- 5 vided with fast and loose pulleys 0 0 for the reception of a driving-belt for operating the machine, and on which are pulleys C, from which belts may drive to operate the upper and lower cutter heads, and other pulleys, (1*, from which belts may drive to operate the side cutter-spindles at the opposite end of the machine. This shaft 0, which I term the driving or counter shaft, is commonly employed in all or nearly all planing-machines, andis fitted to bearings c in the side frames, A. The counter or driving shaft has a uniform rotary motion imparted to it, while it is desirable that the pinion-shaft B should be driven from the counter-shaft through mechanisnn which will provide for readily varying the speed of said pinion-shaft B.

D D designate two reverselyarranged friction-disks, which have parallel faces and a common axis concentric with the axis of the shaft 0. In this example of my invention the disk D, which may be termed'the master disk, is secured fast to the shaft by asetscrew, d, as shown in Fig. 3, orv by other suitable means, while the disk D is free to turn and slide upon the sleeve 0, which may form gear-teeth d and pinion d imparts positive a continuation of the adjacent shaft-bearing 0. Suitable means should be employed for press ing the disk D in a direction. toward the disk D, and, as here represented, the means consist of a lever, D fulcrumed at' d, provided with a weight, d, which may be adjustable, and having its lower and shorter arm engaging a grooved collar or hub, (2", upon the disk D.

- In order to insure the synchronous rotation of the two disks D D. in reverse directions, I have shown them as constructed on their inner faces, near the center, with circular series of bevel gear-teeth d, with which engages a bevel-pinion, d upon the upright shaft D. This shaft D at its lower end fits a bearing formed in the sleeve or 7 block d, loosely mounted on the shaft 0, and at its upper end is supported by a bearing, d, attached to the frame. The master disk D, through the bevel rotation to the other disk, D, in a reverse direction. I

E designates a transmitting-shaft, which extends lengthwise of the machine and transversely to both the shafts B C. It is journaled in bearings 6, attached to the side frame, and

at its end has a bearing in the sleeve or collar (1", which is supported by the shaft 0, as best shown in Fig. 2.

Upon the transmitting-shaft E is fitted a friction-pinion, E, which is free to slide lengthwise of the shaft ina direction toward and from the shaft C, and which lies between the two friction-disks D D. This pinion may be composed of paper or leather disks suitably clamped together, or may be otherwise constructed, so as to give it a surface for engaging frictionally with the disks D D. The pinion E, although free to slide on the shaft E, is locked to turn therewith by suitable means, here shown as consisting of a feather or spline, e, in the shaft. It will be obvious that as the pinion E is slid toward the shaft 0 and the center of the disks D D the speed of the transmitting-shaft E will be decreased, while when said pinion is moved near to the periphery of the disks D D, as is shown in Fig. 2 and also in Fig. 1, the speed of the shaft E will be increased.

The sliding pinion E should have suitable mechanism connected with it for moving it upon the shaft E while the machine is in operation.- As here represented, this shifting mechanism consists of a rock-shaft, a having a downwardly-extending arm, 6, which engages a groove in the pinion and with the upwardly-extending arm 0*, to which is connected a handle-rod, e This handle-rod is provided with notches 6 which may, any one of them,engage a locking and supporting tooth or projection, 6. These means provide for moving the pinion E as may be desired, and also serve to hold it in position after adj ustment. i

The means here shown for gearing the transmitting-shaft E with the pinionshaft B consists of a bevel-wheel, B, upon the end of the pinion-shaft, and bevel-pinions B which are reversely arranged, so asto engage the wheel B at diametrically-opposite points. The pinions 13 are not secured to the shaft, but are locked to the shaft, so as to transmit motion loose thereon, and either of them may be therefrom to the pinion-shaft B, by means of a 'feather, b, and groove in awellknown manner. shaft E, motion will. be transmitted from the WVhen one pinion B is locked to the shaft E to the shaft B, and thence to the feedrolls in a direction to feed the lumber forward to the cutters, and when the clutch B is shifted so as to lock the reversely-arranged pinion 13' to the shaftE motion will be transmitted to the shaft B, and thence to the feed-rolls in a reverse direction to the feeding movement of said rolls, and the lumber will by the rolls be moved backward or thrown out of the ma chine. This provides for the ready withdrawal by power of lumber if it be not desired for any reason to plane it its full length.

The means here represented for shifting the clutch l3 consist of a rock-shaft, if, having a downwardly-extending arm, I), which engages the clutch B and an upwardlyextending arm, I), from which a handle rod or bar, b extends to the front of the machine. This bar b has notches b, any one of which may be engaged with a locking tooth, support, or projection, b as best shown in Fig. 2, and by means of this lock the clutch B may be held out of engagement with both pinions B or in positive engagement with either pinion.

It will be understood that inasmuch as the friction-pinion E is clamped, as it were, between the two reversely-arranged frictiondisks D D, motion will be imparted to the pinion E and its shaft E, without any side strain upon the said pinion and shaft or upon the shaft-bearings, and therefore with little wear of the parts.

action of the weighted lever D and, as here shown in Fig. 3, I have represented the lever D as provided with an upwardly-extending handle diwhereby it may be moved when desired in order to relieve the disk D of the weight and move it slightly away from the disk D.

It will be obvious from the above description that thefriction-disks and transmittingshaft E, when combined according to my invention, are desirable whether the transmitting-shaft be employed to drive the feed-rolls through the usual pinion-shaft or through other mechanism.

I am aware that it is not new to drive the upright spindle of a wood-planing machine through a friction-wheel fixed on the spindle, and with which either of two concentric disks rotating in opposite directions may be brought into engagement to rotate the spindle in opposite directions.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is"

l. The combination, with a transmitting shaft through which feed-rolls are to be driven, of reversely-arranged friction-disks having a common axis, and a friction-pinion sliding on the transmitting-shaft radially to the axis of the disks toward and from said axis, substantially as herein described. I

2. The combination, with a pinion shaft from which the feed-rolls are to be driven, of reversely arranged friction disks having a common axis, a transmitting-shaft arranged transversely to the pinion-shaft and gearing therewith, and a friction-pinion sliding upon the transmittingshaft radially to the axis of the disks toward and from said axis, and receiving motion by frictional engagement with the disks, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with a transmittingshaft from which the feed-rolls are to be driven, of reverselyarranged friction-disks, one secured upon a driving-shaft and the other journaled independently of but concentric with the driving-shaft, bevel gearing connecting the disks, whereby one is driven from but in a reverse direction to the other, and a frictionpinion in frictional engagement with and be tween said disks, and which is free to slide on the transmitting-shaft toward and from the center of said disks, substantially as herein described.

4. The combination, with a pinion-shaft from which the feed-rolls are to be driven, and which has a bevel-wheel upon its end, of re versely-arranged friction-disks having a common axis, a transmitting-shaft arranged transversely to the pinionshaft and between the disks, reversely-arranged bevel-pinions and a clutch on the transmitting-shaft, whereby it may be connected to drive the pinionshaft in reverse directions, and a friction-pinion in frictional engagement with and between said disks, and which is free to slide on the trans mitting-shaft toward and from the center of said disks, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination, with the pinion-shaft B, and the transmitting-shaft geared therewith, of the driving-shaft O, the disks D D, the former secured to the driving-shaft and the latter having its axis concentric therewith, the friction-pinion E, fitted to slide on'the shaft E and between the disks, a hand-lever for moving said pinion. and a weighted lever for pressing the disk D toward the disk D, substantially as herein described.

6. The combination, with the pinion-shaft B, and the transmitting-shaft E, geared there with, of the driving-shaft O, the friction-disks D D, geared together to rotate in reverse directions, and the former secured upon the driving-shaft, the friction-pinion E, fitted to slide on the shaft E and between the disks, and hand-levers whereby the pinion E may he slid along the shaft E to vary the speed transmitted to the pinion-shaft B, and whereby the disk 1) may be moved away from the other disk, substantially as herein described.

XVM. H. GRAY.

XVitnesses:

C. IIALL, FREDK. HAYNES. 

